Next for Braves: New York Mets
Series preview: vs. Mets
When (TV): 7:35 p.m. Friday (WPCH), 4:05 p.m. Saturday (FOX), 1:35 p.m. Sunday (FSSO)
Radio: 680, 93.7, 100.5
Probable starting pitchers:
Friday: Braves RH Tim Hudson (7-4, 3.56 ERA) vs. RH Chris Young (2-2, 3.41)
Saturday: Braves RH Tommy Hanson (10-5, 3.71) vs. RH R.A. Dickey (12-1, 2.40)
Sunday: Braves RH Ben Sheets (0-0, 0.00) vs. LH Johan Santana (6-5, 3.24)
About the Braves:
Batting: Brian McCann enters the second half of the season having homered in four straight games prior to the All-Star break. Martin Prado, who leads the team in average, is hitting .349 (76-for-218) with a .399 on-base percentage and .486 slugging percentage over the past 55 games. During that stretch he has 22 extra-base hits and nine stolen bases. He has 29 multiple-hit games in 61 May, June and July contests. Chipper Jones leads the majors with a .532 on-base percentage leading off innings.
Pitching: The Braves will start Ben Sheets on Sunday, in first major-league appearance in nearly two years. Sheets pitched two games at Double-A Mississippi after being signed to a minor-league contract on July 1. Sheets, a four-time All-Star, is returning from two elbow surgeries. Jair Jurrjens will start Tuesday’s series opener against the Giants. The Braves have not decided whether Mike Minor or Randall Delgado will start Wednesday.
Miscellaneous: Prado was the Braves winner of the Heart and Hustle award given to members of each team by the Major League Baseball Alumni Association. The award honors active players who demonstrate a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit, and tradition of the game.
About the Mets:
Batting: David Wright is third in the majors with a .351 average. He is also second in on-base percentage (.441), sixth in hits (106) and 11th in RBIs (59) and slugging percentage (.563). Daniel Murphy is hitting .475 (19-for-40) with three homers and 15 RBIs in the past 11 games. Lucas Duda is batting just .149 (7-for-47) with two RBIs in the past 13 games.
Pitching: Chris Young will start the series opener after the team placed Dillon Gee on the 15-day disabled list due to a blood clot in a right shoulder artery. Gee was hospitalized after experiencing numbness in the fingers of his right hand on Tuesday. He is scheduled for a potential season-ending surgery Friday. Miguel Batista will take Gee’s spot in the rotation. The Mets already pushed back the start of Johan Santana, who has a sore right ankle.
Miscellaneous: The Mets have a .267 road batting average this season, tied for third in the majors with Cardinals and trailing only American League teams the Rangers (.274) and the Tigers (.268).
-Chris Vivlamore
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41 comments Add your comment
Chris
July 12th, 2012
8:14 pm
Need to get the second half off to a good start. Absolutely no reason we should win less than 2 of these games. Let’s get it done.
Land O' Lakes Brave
July 12th, 2012
8:28 pm
Could skip the 5th spot and pitch Hudson Wed. on regular rest.
Hat tipping
July 12th, 2012
9:46 pm
Moylan pitching in Rome this weekend. Almost there.
Buddy Landel
July 12th, 2012
9:48 pm
Prado to Arizona in Upton deal? Not necessarily saying I’m in favor of it, but rumors are abound.
JC Boscan III
July 12th, 2012
10:17 pm
Barring a trade, I’ve been wondering if Josh Wilson at Gwinnett might get the call-up instead of Tyler Pastornicky. He has played in more than 200 major league games at SS and can play several other positions. We could have a 2-headed, light-hitting “Wilson Machine” at SS………… Jack Wilson’s never been as bad of a hitter until he joined the Braves. Maybe the extra playing time will help him get over .200, at least!
C from Marietta
July 12th, 2012
10:31 pm
NO to trading Prado. He will be playing third next season.
Yogi Berra
July 12th, 2012
10:55 pm
Cody Ross said he turn down Braves last year mult year contract offer to play for Red Sox.
Can you see Uggla playing 3b with his weak arm? You might per MLB rumor.
Yogi Berra
July 12th, 2012
11:01 pm
Rumor also that Braves not going to try to sign Bourn for 4-5 years because he’s 30 years old and Boras is his agent. Thats one reason Braves will never be more than they are now because they can’t keep their best players. Upton will take Bourn’s place next year in CF.
Ueeediot
July 12th, 2012
11:13 pm
Cmon Seattle give up Felix Hernandez….
Jimbo Jones
July 12th, 2012
11:27 pm
Thank you, Cody Ross, for ‘passing’ on the Braves.
How much is Bourn going to rake in? If he’s going to command close to $20 million per year for 4 to 5 years, then we can’t hang with the market. It’s too bad, really.
This Upton rumor sounds like something Olney pulled out of his arse. Hopefully the Braves realize they lucked out when they didn’t move Prado last offseason. We need 8 more Marteens.
Grienke would be the best move if we can lock him up.
Yogi Berra
July 12th, 2012
11:51 pm
Fredi told Wilson last friday to rest up we may have to ride you for a while…Hell I thought Wilson had been resting all year.
Puma
July 13th, 2012
12:24 am
I have to agree with Jimbo, that as great as Bourne is, we cannot invest that much in a lead off hitter. If we are paying a guy over $15 mil / year, he will have to be our 3 or 4 hitter or starting pitcher. I am guessing the most we could go with Bourne is $14-15 Million, and I think he would be dumb to take that.
Free Pastornicky
July 13th, 2012
12:28 am
Is Pastornicky a leper now? He didn’t play that poorly when he was up.
Mikey J
July 13th, 2012
2:14 am
I agree with Free Pastor. I thought the kid played pretty good while he was up with the big club. Granted i haven’t seen that many games this year because of working in Afghanistan. I did get to see a few while home back in May and i did see the 11 inning game against the Phils when Chipper hit the walk off homer. i think he had a couple hits in that game until Fredi pulled him for wilson, never figured that one out. He impressed me with his attitude and all out hustle. you see so many things in person that you don’t get to see on TV. What i remember is him putting pressure on the defense with every single by his aggressive baserunning. Always looking for the next base. I’ve often wondered if he could play a lil centerfield. he’s pretty fast and he deffinitely has some skilles or he wouldn’t have made it this far. Just a thought of mine that i’m throwing out there. Have a great night Braves fans.
Mikey J
July 13th, 2012
2:23 am
By the way, thanks for all of your opinions about the Braves on these boards. read them everyday. the highlight of my day really.
The Grinch
July 13th, 2012
3:44 am
Tyler’s problem isn’t his speed or effort. It’s his lollipop arm. His throws take so long to get there even with Freeman doing a split every baserunner has an extra split second. More runners on base means more pressure on the pitcher, etc. We’ve been spoiled lately with Simmons; watch and see.
bucky oneil
July 13th, 2012
8:45 am
Trading Prado would be big mistake. You would rip the heart right out of this team….
Jasons Shrinking Waist
July 13th, 2012
9:08 am
Cant trade Prado, he is the only consistent hitter we have…and Justin Upton is overrated, another strikeout artist…him n Uggla together? OMG what a disaster…Arizona gets an arm or two, no more
As for Bourn, i agree…hes outta here at seasons end, all we get is a draft pick
Actually , a Bourn for Upton makes more sense
Tumbledown
July 13th, 2012
9:30 am
Please do not trade Prado for Upton. Prado is the heart of this team.
alex
July 13th, 2012
9:54 am
If FW trades Prado, the Braves Fans should revolt!! Pastorniky has been playing some 2nd base at gwinnet…Move Uggla, eat the money. As for Upton, he’s a cancer..
lanier
July 13th, 2012
10:39 am
DOB what about bringing Buddy Carlyle up for a look.
reckingball
July 13th, 2012
10:51 am
For what reason would the Braves want to trade Prado for Upton?
What would be the upside for the Braves?
Olney just speculated that the Braves would be a good fit for Upton, I don’t think that he ever said a trade is in the works.
Besides that, Olney doesn’t know everything, about every team.
reckingball
July 13th, 2012
10:57 am
Rumors??
/
Rumors, more often than not, equals BS(i.e. the stuff that comes out the back-end of a male cow). haha.
go braves! beat the mutts. time for some payback.
Jaded Braves Fan
July 13th, 2012
10:59 am
Pastornicky can’t start, but I don’t get why he’s on the big-league roster. I mean, I get it – the Braves want him getting regular playing time at Gwinnett – but I’m of the mind that your best 25 players should be on the major league roster. I think Pastornicky could help our bench. Defensive woes aside, the kid has always had a solid stick.
DawgDad
July 13th, 2012
11:16 am
“Is Pastornicky a leper now? He didn’t play that poorly when he was up.”
We must exist in alternate universes. Pastornicky was one of the worst starting shortstops I’ve witnessed in 50 years of following MLB. He’s either not a Major League shortstop, or something was wrong with him in April and May. I’ll go on record as stating the Braves will not make the playoffs with Pastornicky as their starting shortstop, and as a bridge to a healthy Simmons 6 weeks out he will really put them behind the eight-ball. It doesn’t matter what he does offensively; he’ll disrupt the pitching staff.
jase80
July 13th, 2012
11:32 am
Enter your comments here
jase80
July 13th, 2012
11:34 am
Enter your commenhow bout going after hunter prince? He could feel the spots for a long time. him and mike boure.
Largo
July 13th, 2012
11:47 am
The next nine games will tell us what we’re made of. . . we are playing three tough teams.
Not even the Braves management is dumb enough to trade Prado. Unless, of course, they want to empty the stands altogether. Upton is not worth it, according to his own people.
Bourn and Prado have been awesome at lead off this year.
Morris Code
July 13th, 2012
12:02 pm
If you can pull off a trade for Upton, you gotta do it… unless they ask for Freddi or J-Hey.
PMC
July 13th, 2012
12:11 pm
Why would they want Upton anyway?
They HAVE Michael Bourn. Pay the man his money.
Rick
July 13th, 2012
12:41 pm
DawgDad, the Braves spent some time in first place this season with Pastornicky on the team. No reason to think they can’t still succeed with him. They need to play more consistently in all areas to do that though.
Morris Code, you’d really trade Prado for Upton? Terrible idea. I really hope that’s just a suggestion of Olney’s and not an actual serious consideration by Wren.
reckingball
July 13th, 2012
12:42 pm
Upton looks like he is way over-rated, to me.
Doesn’t look like any of the teams that he has played for, have been fully pleased with his efforts on the field.
alanfalcon
July 13th, 2012
1:08 pm
Prado stays, we traded Frank Wren, Upton ( the cancer) comes In because we traded Freddie Gonzalez, now I feel a lot better !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yogi Berra
July 13th, 2012
1:13 pm
Its a rumor..so it is.
Mark (another one)
July 13th, 2012
1:15 pm
I have no problem trying to get Upton but not for Prado or Bourn. The only reason to trade Bourn for Upton would be if the Braves are giving up on resigning Bourn. I wouldn’t consider trading Prado for Upton.
If the Braves could give up some pitching depth for Upton and get Bourn signed, that would be great for next year. An outfield of Upton, Bourn and JHey. Prado, Simmons, Uggla and Freeman in the infield.
For this year, I’m really concerned about SS. SS and SS depth were two issues last off season and the Braves committed to rookies. Unless Jack Wilson shows something in the next few games, it may be time to experiment with Josh Wilson. He’s 31 and has 40 errors in over 1800 innings at SS. His range factor is about the same as Rollins or Desmond.
Brentaford
July 13th, 2012
1:18 pm
I will be extremely saddened if we get rid of Prado. I think the guy brings a lot of heart as well as being able to play multiple positions very well when needed. Why get rid of a Jack of all Trades? DON’T DO IT!
Yogi Berra
July 13th, 2012
1:25 pm
per twitter..The Braves pick-up Terry Tiffee from AAA ?
he is 6′2 200 lbs s/r, 3 hrs with 345ba in AAA
plays 3b,SS, 1st….
I don’t know if this is true…maybe DOB knows.
Yogi Berra
July 13th, 2012
1:29 pm
Prado, Bourn and Simmons are the HEART of this team…would hate to see any of them traded. Please sign Bourn if possible.
Mets R Best
July 13th, 2012
1:42 pm
Hello there again Braves fans. Are you afraid? Getting dry in the mouth from fear? Well that is understandable since the Mighty New York Mets are in town, they have brought their brooms because they are going to sweep the Braves. That is right. Sweep the Braves at Turner Field. It is just about all over but the crying.
Tumbledown
July 13th, 2012
1:49 pm
There should be a rule against trading a high character guy like Prado who hits over 300 and is an asset on the defensive side. Just sayin . . .
Amber Girl
July 13th, 2012
4:38 pm
Hello everyone, Been in hospital and miss all brave news. Can anybody tell me SS situation? Is Sheets ready? Are we going to make any more trades, Sorry to bother, just trying to catch up.